Earlier this year the state government deemed the $21.7 billion project ‘critical infrastructure’ in a bid to boost its development, and what Lynham said would mean ‘less red tape’.

The project was also exempt from new groundwater laws that required all new developments to obtain an “associated water licence”. Carmichael was exempt through an alteration to an amendment whereby companies that have already undertaken an environmental impact statement (EIS) and the land court would still require a water licence, but would not be subjected to the public objection process.

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) robotics researchers say they have developed new technology to equip underground mining vehicles to navigate autonomously through dust, camera blur and bad lighting.